Now hear this! So very blog-worthy...

Patients of the world, unite!
What an awful experience I had this week, my allergic readers, and I'm sharing it with you to hopefully empower you to...well, who am I kidding? I'm sharing it to vent and because now I find it funny. A couple of days ago, not so funny!
A whole bunch of people in my life (work, friends, family) have had colds in the last week or so, most recently NAH. I don't begrudge him that. Unfortunately, at this time of year, I have trouble with my very temperamental seasonal asthma. For YEARS I went to the doctor, got diagnosed with bronchitis and put on a ton of medication. The fabulous allergist I went to a few years back showed me how, with the right combo of asthma meds, I didn't need an antibiotic and could nip the horrible barking cough in the bud. It was simple. Ready? When I got the cold, I started on asthma medication....and its worked for the last three years. The cold stayed a cold.
Tuesday I woke up with a nasty cold, and called my new doctor (a GP in my new location, whom I've seen twice in the past year, but neither time for illness). They brought me in immediately, and then it proceeded to go downhill. It is important to state that my whole purpose in going to the doctor was that I didn't feel well and I know I needed a new inhaler. Fairly simple, right?
The visit went something like this
Him: Describe your symptoms
Me: I have shortness of breath, it burns when I breathe, I feel like there's a small baby elephant sitting on my chest and this tends to happen to me every October when I get a cold, it bothers my asthma.
Him: None of those are symptoms of asthma.
HELLO??? Anyone??? Seriously???!!! go read what webmd.com says...
Him: Obviously you have lifted something heavy and strained your chest cavity. (I start to shake my head) Don't shake your head at me! You don't even know what I'm saying...now, as i was saying, you've strained your chest cavity lifting something heavy, and your arms should hurt too, do they hurt?
Me: No (you have to know me at this point, but lifting the groceries are a big deal. hah)
He doesn't believe me, so he taps on my arms and then says "Do you have a sinus infection?"
Me: (very politely because at this point I'm so appalled I don't know what to say) I don't know, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE...
He goes on to explain that this is obviously not asthma, (all those doctors all my life must have been wrong), and if I'm in denial about having lifted something heavy then obviously I have blood clots in my lungs and should have a nuclear scan to determine this....
I'm sorry? A nuclear scan? For seasonal asthma? I'm a fairly healthy young woman with a history of SEVERE asthma. My symptoms fit, I know what's wrong, and all I want is an inhaler! Anybody home?
But it gets better.....
Him: I'm going to write you a prescription for an antibiotic. Can't hurt. Whether or not you have a sinus infection it can only help (??? seriously !!! Important to note, he never checked)
I gathered up my courage and proceeded to ask if I could have a referral to my allergist, should this get worse, because they have my case history and a successful track record for treating me. He agrees, but not without this parting shot: "If you get worse, you go straight to the emergency room, not to an allergist (said as derisively and dripping with sarcasm as is humanly possible)
So dear readers, it was a terrible doctors appointment. I went and all I got was treated badly. I came home, found my old asthma medicine, and started treating myself and resting. I'm doing better, thank you, but why go through that, EVER? I discovered a doctor who in his life has never treated an asthmatic...fantastic luck, no?

I need a new doctor...oh, and I cancelled the damn nuclear scan. What a week!
To all allergic patients and asthmatic patients, actually to any patient...don't let yourself be belittled when you know something is wrong.
All for now, enjoy your weekend!
your Allergic Diner